Stokes Takes Six Wickets in English Ashes Warm-up

Practice game, Perth venue (day one of 3)

England Lions 382: Jacks 84, Ben McKinney 67; Stokes 6-52

England XI: yet to bat

Ben Stokes delivered 6 scalps in his first action after July but England encountered an fitness worry regarding fast bowler Wood on the opening day of their Test preparation against the development squad in Perth.

Stokes, making his comeback after nearly four months away with a shoulder injury, bowled 16 overs across three bowling spells for his 6-52 against the Lions – each to catches on the on-side.

Pace bowler Mark Wood, also making his comeback after nine months out with a knee injury, delivered a scheduled amount of 8 overs before departing the field in the post-lunch session because of a hamstring issue. He will have a scan on Friday.

Wood's injury removed the energy out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for three hundred eighty-two on a slow track after an uncontested toss at the venue.

The tourists aimed to field first to get overs in their legs before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, beginning on 21 November.

In a possible hint towards their opening Test strategy, the tourists fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialists plus Stokes – and omitted off-spinner Bashir in the Lions.

Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for selection in the Test team, making just two runs, but Jacks enhanced his claim to be called upon during the series by hitting 84.

Ben McKinney, Cox, teenage Thomas Rew and Matthew Potts also scored half-centuries.

England's decision to play a single warm-up game against the development squad has been criticized by some ex-players but Stokes responded by calling the doubters "past players".

A low-pressure first day in front of a smattering of fans at Lilac Hill was definitely a world away from what England will face at a packed main stadium the following week.

The captain was excellent in the series against the Indian team in the domestic season, only to strain himself to injury. He missed the final Test with a torn shoulder.

The skipper has not completed a full part in any of England's past four series because of different fitness issues and the tourists' hopes of regaining the Ashes are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five matches in Australia.

He has been practicing at maximum speed for two months and appeared in fine shape on Wednesday, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his dismissals were gifted.

Will Jacks is unlikely to feature in the first Test – the team look to have revealed their hand with the XI selected here. Nevertheless, he may have moved himself in front of the struggling Jacob Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at almost a run a ball.

Even before the concern over Wood, the five seamers in the England XI for this match may not have been the bowling unit for the initial match.

Brydon Carse was absent from the first day because of sickness, with his place going to Tongue. Josh Tongue had opening batsman McKinney caught behind just after lunch.

Although the captain took the scalps, Jofra Archer caught the eye. He was lively with the new ball and once more after lunch, when he caused problems for Jacks.

In the absence of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood departing, Root was required to deliver fourteen overs of his spin bowling. It was average performance, costing 117 runs at an economy of over eight.

Root at least claimed a scalp in the closing stages when Matt Fisher unexpectedly hit a full toss to mid-on before Jofra Archer bounced out Matthew Potts for 53 with the last delivery of the day.